Height adjustable pad for use with inputs for electronic devices

ABSTRACT

A wrist rest having height adjustability. The height adjustable wrist rest is a simple two-piece construction. The wrist rest includes a planar member having a first portion defining a first cavity having a first depth and a second portion defining a second cavity having a second depth greater than the first depth; and a support member adapted to be inserted into and removed from the cavities.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/338,304 (Attorney Docket No. 14572P-062000US) filed Dec. 7, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.

STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] NOT APPLICABLE

REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK

[0003] NOT APPLICABLE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] 1. Field of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates generally to wristrests used with input/output (I/O) devices for personal computers, and more specifically to a wristrest having a simple height adjustable feature.

[0006] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0007] Wrist rests are a common product used in cooperation with an I/O system (e.g., a keyboard or pointing device such as a mouse or trackball) of a personal computer. The wristrest is designed to support a wrist of a user during operation of the computer.

[0008] The prior art includes wristrest products that support the wrist at a single height above a work surface upon which the specific I/O system is being operated. Not all users or computing environments are the same, and the single height could be inappropriate in some applications. Other wrist rest products offer height adjustability, but the solutions are often expensive in terms of final cost and resources in the design and manufacture, and may be very complicated to operate.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides a very simple and cost effective wrist rest having height adjustability. In a preferred embodiment, the height adjustable wrist rest is a simple two-piece construction. A height adjustable support apparatus, including: a planar member having a first portion defining a first cavity having a first depth and a second portion defining a second cavity having a second depth greater than the first depth; and a support member adapted to be inserted into and removed from the cavities.

[0010] Preferably, the support member is constructed of appropriate wrist supporting/cushioning materials, such as gel, foam, padding, neoprene, for example, as necessary or desirable for the particular application. The planar member is preferably a rigid construction having two sides, each side defining a cavity of a different depth and sized to receive the support member. The planar member is transformable (e.g. flipping it over) to alternately allow each side to be upwardly disposed. Placement of the support member in one cavity will provide a specific height of atop of the support member above the working surface that is different when the support member is placed within the other cavity. Hence the height of the top of the support member is adjustable.

[0011] These and other novel aspects of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the drawings and the remaining portions of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment for a height adjustable wristrest; and

[0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate preferred embodiment for a height adjustable wristrest.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment for a height adjustable wristrest 100. Wristrest 100 includes a planar member 105 and a support member 110. Member 105 includes a first portion defining a first cavity 115 having a depth D1 and a second portion defining a second cavity 120 having a depth D2, with D1 greater than D2. Member 105 is made of rigid material that inherently includes a high coefficient of friction with respect to standard underlying supports or is coated with such a material.

[0015] Cavity 115 and cavity 120 are sized to receive support member 110, with a thickness of support member 110 exceeding D2 in a preferred embodiment such that a top surface of support member is available for support, whichever cavity contains support member 110.

[0016] Planar member includes an axis 125, about which member 105 rotates to present one of cavity 115 and 120 facing upwards. Support member 110 is inserted into the upward facing cavity. As disclosed, cavity 115 and cavity 120 are provided on opposite sides of member 105. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to dispose cavity 115 and cavity 120 on the same side of member 110, but laterally displaced from each other. In other applications, cavity 115 and cavity 120 may be overlapping such that a first orientation of member 110 relative to the cavities causes member 110 to interact with one cavity creating a first height and a second orientation of member 110 relative to the cavities causes member 110 to interact with the other cavity creating a second height different from the first.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment for a height adjustable wristrest 200. Wristrest 200 includes a planar member 205 and a support member 210. Member 205 includes a first portion defining a first cavity 215 having a first wristrest depth Dw1 and a second portion defining a second cavity 220 having a second wristrest depth Dw2, with Dw2 greater than Dw1. Member 205 also includes a third portion defining a third cavity 225 having a pad depth Dp1 and a fourth portion defining a fourth cavity 230 having a pad depth Dp2 that is equal to Dp1. Wristrest 200 is designed for a mouse pad/track ball pad application, for example, in which third pad cavity 225 and fourth pad cavity 230 could define a constant height region for mouse operations (for example) and the front portion with first cavity 215 and second cavity 220 define a variable height portion for supporting a users wrist at different heights during those mouse operations. Member 205 is made of rigid material that inherently includes a high coefficient of friction with respect to standard underlying supports or is coated with such a material.

[0018] Cavity 215 and cavity 225 are sized to receive front and rear portions of support member 210 respectively in a first mode while cavity 220 and cavity 230 are sized to receive front and rear portions of support member 210 respectively in a second mode, with a thickness of support member 210 exceeding Dw2 and Dp1 in the preferred embodiment such that a top surface of support member 210 is available for support, whichever cavities contain support member 210. Front portion of support 210 is height adjustable while rear portion of support 210 is maintained at a constant height. Support member 210 should either be sufficiently flexible to conform concurrently to two cavities at one time or constructed in some hinged configuration to define two parts, each of which may conform to the corresponding cavity.

[0019] Planar member 205 includes an axis 235, about which member 205 rotates to present a first set of cavities (cavity 215 and 225) or a second set of cavities (220 and 230) facing upwards. Support member 210 is inserted into the upward facing cavity set. As disclosed, the first cavity set and the second cavity set are provided on opposite sides of member 205. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to dispose the first cavity set and the second cavity set on the same side of member 205, but laterally displaced from each other. In other applications, various cavities and cavity sets may be overlapping such that a first orientation of member 210 relative to the cavities causes member 210 to interact with one combination of cavities creating a first height for parts of support member 210 and a second orientation of member 210 relative the cavities causes member 210 to interact with another combination of cavities creating a second height for those parts of support member 210 with the second height different from the first.

[0020] The above-described arrangements of apparatus and methods are merely illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention and many other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A height adjustable support apparatus, comprising: a planar member having a first portion defining a first cavity having a first depth and a second portion defining a second cavity having a second depth greater than said first depth; and a support member adapted to be inserted into and removed from said cavities.
 2. The height adjustable support apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first portion is disposed on an opposite side of said planar member from said second portion.
 3. The height adjustable support apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support member is a wrist rest.
 4. The height adjustable support apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first cavity and said second cavity have matching peripheral dimensions. 